Mystery Memory
by Maishine
Summary: If you lost your memory, what would you do to get it back? Would you want it back, if it ment losing everything you already had? COMPLETE!
1. A key & a cross, that’s all I’ve got

Mystery Memory!

Chapter One-A key & a cross, that's all I've got.

Cordelia watched from her desk as the door opened and in walked a girl. She looked about 13 but had an air around her that stated otherwise. The girl walked up to the desk.

'I have an appointment.' Said the girl.

'Name please.' Said Cordelia with a false smile.

'My name...is Lucia.' Said the girl.

'My names Cordelia, That's an unusual name.' Cordelia said smiling warmly. Checking her name on the computer for her appointment.

'I think that's my name, it could be a nickname.' Lucia said rather glumly.

'What do you mean? Do you have a real name?' Cordelia said looking at her as if she was a tad weird.

'That's why I'm here. I don't know. I don't remember anything.' Lucia broke into sobs. Cordelia guided her to the couch. Just then Angel came out of his office.

'Cordelia has my 12:30 appointment arrive....Oh hello. Are you ok? Silly question, if you were you wouldn't be here.' Angel said with a smile that made Lucia's heart melt and she couldn't help smiling back.

'This is Lucia; she doesn't remember her real name. Or anything for that matter.' Cordelia said looking at Angel.

'Ok Lucia why don't you come into my office and you can tell me what you do remember.' Angel said putting his arm comfortingly around her and leading her into his office. He sat her down and went and sat behind his desk.

'Ok, in your own time. Tell me what you do remember.' Angel said. As she began to talk he looked at her. She had these incredible eyes. They were light blue with flecks of green. But it was like you could see straight into her soul. She was a deep person. A poet maybe or writer. Her eyes were so sad, so intoxicating. Angel found he was drawn to her. He checked her over. Slim, pretty. Long blond curly hair. Her hair looked so soft, so touchable. He was so tempted to touch it. He resisted the temptation and kept on looking. Around her neck was a necklace with a cross and half a pendant attached to it. She wore a pair of blue glittery jeans that had slits at the bottom and a top that was black and had a giant cross on the front. He smiled and concentrated on what she was saying.

Lucia began to squirm under his pearcing stare. But she began to speak anyway.

'I remember waking up and finding my self at this bar. There were all these weird looking guys around. Most of them Demons, a few vampires. I knew what they were, but I didn't know why. This tall ugly demon comes over and asks if I'm alright. I'm so freaked by now, I can't remember anything and they are all staring at me. I just scream and run out. I didn't know were to go or what to do. I looked in my pockets for something, anything to remind me of who I am. And I find your card. On the back is written, To Lucia, He'll know what to do. Love Buffy. It's the only lead I had so I rang you up and made an appointment. I had enough money for a taxi here and a cup of Coffee.' She took a breath and continued.

'I keep having this one dream. It's so scary. I can see everyone around me. I know that I know them. But I can't see their faces. They're blurred. They laugh at me and I see this guy. Quite clearly but I can't remember his name and always after the dream his image fades from my mind. He carries a knife and walks towards me. He is talking to his hand. Saying something about it being an evil hand and then he holds the knife above my head and plunges it down on me. As soon as I feel the cold blade hit my forehead I wake up. I don't know what else to do. I have no were else to go, no money, nothing just like my memory. Can you help me?' She said beginning to cry again. Angel had been stirred from thought when Buffy's name had been mentioned.

'Hey, it's going to be ok. I know a Buffy. I'll see if it's her and what she knows about you ok. We'll start from there and you can stay here or if you'd prefer you can stay with Cordelia.' Angel said smiling. Hoping Cordelia wouldn't mind. Lucia stopped crying and tried to smile but failed.

'When was the last time you ate, slept, had a shower?' Cordelia asked as she sat making coffee for them in Angel's kitchen.

'I haven't done any of those since I woke up at the bar and before that I don't know. Do I really look that terrible?' Lucia said looking down at her self.

'No you look fine, it's just I heard your stomach rumbling. Gun and Fred should be back with the take out by now. I'm sure we can find something you like in there.' Cordelia smiled 'And here they are. Bout time guys, what took you so long?' Cordelia's smile dropped as she saw them come in.

'Picked up a couple of hitch hikers on way up.' Gun said pointing to Wesley and the petit blond behind them.

'Ah, Buffy. Willow told me you were on your way up. I was wondering if you'd accompany me into my office a minute please.' Angel said smiling at Lucia. Angel led Buffy into his office and sat her in the chair Lucia had earlier sat in.

'Angel, I came here because I'm really worried about someone.' Buffy rushed out before Angel could talk. 'Two months ago a girl came to my door. I had never seen her in my life. Yet she knew who I was. She looked petrified but still beautiful. She had these deep blue eyes with flexes of green in them and she wore a cross T-shirt and these glittery jeans with slits down the front. Her hair was a perfect curly blond and she wore a cross necklace with half a pendant. She seemed about 13 but when I asked her how old she was she said she was 18. She told me that she hadn't much time. She needed someone to help her. She had uncovered a giant secret that could destroy the world. She didn't want to talk about it and she kept apologising. When I asked her why she was apologising she said that by coming here she had put everyone I knew and my life in danger. But I was the only person she could turn to. She knew of no one else. I gave her your card and wrote some message on the back. She gave me a key and said if she wasn't back in a month or two then I should disappear or keep a low profile for a while and destroy the key. That was the main thing. Destroy the key. She made it sound as if the fate of the world relied on this small key.' Buffy finished, producing the key from her pocket.

Angel smiled at her. 'Let me guess, her name was Lucia.'

'How....How'd you know? Did she see you? Did you help her? Angel do you know what happened to her. She seemed so afraid, petrified. So young and innocent. Angel what happened to her. I haven't been able to think of anything else except those eyes, staring at me asking me to help her as if her life depended on it.' Buffy broke of and looked as if she was about to cry. Just then there was a knock on the door and in entered Lucia.

'Oh my god Lucia.' Buffy said running to her and squashing her in a hug. Lucia looked uncomfortably at Angel.

'Do I know you?' She said not looking into Buffy's eyes. Buffy held her at arms length and looked her over.

'It's me Buffy.' She said staring into Lucia's eyes willing her to remember her.

'Buffy, let Lucia go and sit down. There's something you should know.' Angel said. Buffy walked to the chairs and sat down. Lucia lingered near the door until Angel pointed to a seat next to Buffy and she sat down. Not looking at Buffy or anything else but the floor.

'You see Buffy, Lucia has no memory up until about a day ago when she woke up in Lauron's bar. She only had the card you had given her on her so she came here.' Angel finished looking at Lucia sadly as he saw she was still staring at the ground. He noticed tears falling onto her trousers. Buffy must have noticed as well because she took her into a big hug and wouldn't let go of her until she stopped crying.

Cordelia came in at that moment with some food on a tray.

'Hey Lucia, look what I've got. I didn't know what you liked so we each donated a bit of our food. I hope it'll do. There's a drink of coffee with it. I suggest you take it up to bed and eat it and then sleep. You look exhausted.' Cordelia smiled. Lucia hadn't realised how tired she had felt until Cordelia had mentioned it. She let herself be guided to a room next to Angel's and then was left alone to eat and sleep. She had been given one of Fred's nighties, as Fred use to sleep there as well. She scoffed down the food. Even the stuff she didn't like. She was starving. She began to look around the room. Which led her to discover a bathroom. She locked the door and began to run a bath. Down stairs everyone talked about what they should do.

'I think we should go to Lauron's bar and see what he knows about her.' Suggested Cordelia.

'I'll get Willow to find out what she can on the web.' Buffy suggested.

'What I don't get is the fact that she knew they were demons and vampires.' Gun said trying to get his head around it.

'She could be friends with a slayer. It's a long shot but I'll check with the Watchers Council.' Wesley suggested.

'I've got to get back now. So I'll ring if we find anything.' Buffy said walking to the door. She half expected, half hoped Angel would ask her to stay but he didn't he let her go.

'All good ideas. Cordelia you're with me, Gun check your sources. Fred do you mind staying here. It's just I don't want to leave her on her own.' Angel said smiling at Fred.

'No it's ok. I've got work to do anyway. I'll see if I can do anything here.' Fred said watching them all leave. She sighed, why was she the one that was always left behind. She didn't mind. She just wished, just once they'd ask her to come on a case with them. Oh well. She sat at the receptionist desk and began working on cases'.

Upstairs Lucia got into her bath. She sat there and relaxed. Letting the warm water wash over her. She began to get sleepy and soon she fell into a deep sleep.

She opened her eyes and found she was strapped to an operating chair. She looked around and saw a circle of people around her. There was no light except for the spotlights on the circle of people. They cast shadows over the people's faces making it impossible to see their features. She looked around and only one face was clear. It was Buffy's. She was crying. Then she heard the familiar tap, tap, tap of someone walking towards her.

'They gave me an evil hand. An evil hand. That will be the end of the world. Will destroy the world.' It ended in a maniacal laughter and then silence. She heard a swooshing noise and felt cold steel upon her forehead. And then all went black.

'Lucia, Lucia. Are you alright.' Came a voice from the darkness. She heard the sound of wood splitting and then two hands grabbing her. She opened her eyes.


	2. A link or two

Chapter Two-A link or two.

She looked out and as her eye site adjusted she saw Angel holding her with a worried look on his face.

'Lucia, Are you alright? Lucia, answer me.' Angel said grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her. He picked her up and laid her on her bed.

'Lucia, Lucia....'

'Angel.' Lucia whispered cutting in. 'Wh...What happened?' She asked still whispering. Angel smiled at her.

'You nearly drowned that's what happened. You had me....us worried for a while.' Angel finished looking into her eyes. She looked back into his and lifted her arm to touch his chest.

'Thank you.' She said.

'For what?' Angel asked.

'For saving my life.' Lucia replied.

'Hey it was nothing.' Angel said smiling at her. They continued looking into each other's eyes. Angel scooped his hands underneath Lucia and gently lifted her into his arms as he saw tears roll down her cheeks.

'Hey, everything is going to be ok.' Angel stated. They locked gaze again and began to slowly get closer. Their lips touched.

'Eh hem. Sorry to interrupt. Angel your needed down stairs.' Cordelia said starring at the two. Lucia and Angel's lips parted and Lucia smiled sheepishly at Cordelia. Angel lay Lucia down and got off the bed.

'You going to be ok on your own for a while?' Angel asked. Lucia nodded.

'You get dried and dressed and I'll be up in a bit ok.' Angel said smiling at her. He followed Cordelia and she could here Cordelia shouting at Angel. Lucia got off the bed and started to dry herself. Not able to stop smiling.

Down stairs Angel picked up the phone.

'Hullo.' He said his mind still on Lucia upstairs and her drying herself off.

'Hi Angel, it's Buffy. We may have something. I'm faxing it to you now ok.'

'Ok.' Angel said 'Thanks, Bye' He said hanging up the phone. On the other end Buffy sighed and hung up herself.

Angel turned slowly as the fax machine began to beep at him. Pieces of paper began to appear. Angel picked them up. The first piece of paper had a picture on the top and writing underneath. The other was the rest of that. The third was a newspaper clipping and the rest was a letter. Cordelia, Wesley and Fred came in. Fred sat at the computer and logged on to Word. Angel passed out the pieces of paper to them. He kept the first article.

'What do we know so far about Lucia?' Fred asked.

'Ok, we know that she knew a terrible secret that could destroy the world. She needed help and was in serious trouble. She has a key which is some how linked in. We can guess that the people she was running from found her and took away her memory. I talked to Lauron and he said that she came into the bar with a guy from Wolfram and Heart. He could tell she was knocked out but he supported her in and up to the bar as if she was drunk. Tried talking to her. Threw a wobbly and left. He could tell it was acting. He left her there and then when she woke up he went to calm her down. But she ran out.' Angel finished looking round to see if Wesley had found anything out from the watcher's council.

'You guy's aren't going to believe what I found out.' Wesley said looking at them. 'Lucia is a Vampire Slayer. She's the one who replaced Faith. But no one was supposed to know about her. She was kept secret and only worked on major cases.' Wesley paused taking a breath.

'She's a Vampire Slayer!' Angel repeated.

'There's more.' Wesley said looking grim

'Go on.' Cordelia said intrigued now.

'She was an experimental Slayer.' He said looking disgusted and practically having to spit the words out.

'Huh!' Came Cordelia's Voice.

'They tried making a perfect, unkillable Slayer. With the strength of a slayer and vampire combined. The immortality of the Gods. The powers of the witches. The skills and wisdom of the top humans. Her real name is Lucia Kendz. Her true age is nineteen in three days. She is part vampire, part human, part God and part witch. She can walk in daylight. She has to drink a pint of human blood once a month. She can never die. She has the speed of the top athlete. The brains of Einstein and many more knowledgeable people. She has the fighting skills of the best. She is perfect. Except for one tiny floor.' Wesley stopped to make suspension.

'Go on.' Urged an eager Cordelia.

'She is human...She will not obey all the Watcher's commands. They gave her free will. The poor thing. I wouldn't agree with all their commands either. Especially after what they did to her. They took her away from her parents at the age of 10. Against her will and the wishes of her parents. They experimented on her. No one ever played with her. Or took her to do fun things. She was locked in a plain room with a bed and a bathroom and that was it. They gave her paper and pen to keep her occupied. She wrote a diary and they found it and burned it in front of her. So she took to writing stories and poems. Some of which were fabulous. But when she went missing they destroyed them thinking she had run away. She went missing when she was working on this case. She was very secretive on this one and they knew nothing about it. She was last seen two and a half months ago.' Wesley finished with a sigh of pity for the girl upstairs.

'Oh my gosh. That is horrible.' Cordelia said holding her hand over her mouth.

'They had no right. That poor girl. Put through all that.' Said Fred whilst writing it on the computer. Angel just gritted his teeth and set his jaw. Just then Gun came in.

'Sorry guys. No one knows....What's up with you guys.' Gun said looking at their sorrowful faces. They filled Gun in and everyone set to work.

Angel looked at the photo of Lucia. She looked so beautiful. As if she was enjoying life. So full of life. Did she really want to remember all her past? They could just fill her in on the good parts. He began to read the article. It was stating a plea for Lucia to come home. It was the time from when she was ten. The watcher's council must have kidnapped her. Her poor parents. Not knowing where she was. If she was alive. All these years. Maybe I could get in contact with them. The article was just the usual. Where she was last seen. What she was wearing. What she looked like. He put them down and looked at the others. Cordelia was reading the newspaper clipping. Wesley was reading the letter.

'Anything guys?' Angel asked.

'Nope mine just says that she still ain't been found.' Cordelia said sitting down on the sofa.

'Mine is interesting.' Wesley stated. 'It's a letter from Lucia to her parents.' Wesley began to read the letter out.

'I do not wish to leave you. But they made me. They do not know I wrote this. Make it out as if I have run away. I will contact you as soon as possible. I am sorry. I love you very much and will miss you greatly. If there was anyway of getting out of this I would. But it is my destiny. What will happen to me I do not know. I hear them talking of experiments and the perfect slayer. All though that terrifies me, I must still leave. I am not to take anything. For they will not let me. Never forget that I love you and always will. In desperate times my thoughts will turn to you and you will always be in my heart. All my love forever. Lucia.' Wesley stopped.

'Go on.' Angel said.

'There is a poem afterwards.' Wesley stated continuing.

'When I was a young girl,

I dreamed of flying horses and fairies,

Now I'm a teenager and I dream of flying horses being ridden by nights in shining armour and fairies who have come to take me away from this world,

Where do the dreams change?,

Where do they evolve?,

When did I stop being that little innocent girl?,

When I was a young girl,

My hopes were filled with endless summer days playing with my friends,

Now I'm a teenager and my hopes are filled with endless summer days with my true love,

Where do the hopes change?,

Where do they evolve?,

When did I stop being that little innocent girl?,

When I was a young girl,

My plans for the future were cooking mud pies and making daisy chains,

Now I'm a teenager and my plans for the future are settling down with a family of my very own,

Where does the time go?,

Where do we evolve?,

When did I stop being that little innocent girl!?!' Wesley finished wiping the tears away that were falling down his cheeks.

'Wow!' Said Cordelia. Angel didn't say anything.

Suddenly a blood-curdling scream broke through the hotel and everyone ran upstairs.


	3. Memories of tears

Chapter Three-Memories of tears.

They entered Lucia's room. It was exactly as Angel had left it except....except the window wasn't opened before and Lucia had disappeared. Fearing the worse Angel ran to the window and looked out. There was no sign of Lucia anywhere. They began to search the room. Looking under the bed, in the bathroom. But to no avail. She had just disappeared. They stood there in silence. While Angel sat on the bed, head in his hands. Suddenly, but very quietly they heard a whimpering sound. Angel looked up. It was coming from the only place they hadn't checked and the most unlikeliest. The wardrobe. Angel shot up and raced towards the wardrobe. He pulled open the door and tears began to stream down his cheek as he saw the scene in front of him. Kerry-Anne sat there huddled up. Her face was streaked with tears and there seemed to be a continuous flow of them. She was humming something to herself. So quiet that Angel could only just hear it. And she rocked back and forth starring at the ground. Angel went to pick her up and she flattened herself against the back of the wardrobe. Cordelia pushed Angel away and sat down in front of the wardrobe.

'Lucia, it's me Cordelia. Aren't you going to come out of there?' Cordelia asked softly, as if talking to a frightened child. Lucia shook her head and resumed humming. Only this time slightly louder.

'Angel, I think you should go down stairs and get her some blood. We don't know when the last time she had some was and it might help.' Wesley finished. Angel left reluctantly, knowing they were just trying to get rid of him and Gun and Wesley followed him.

'Come on Lucia, There is no need to be scared anymore. Please come out.' Cordelia asked in that soft voice again. Lucia looked around her and excepted Cordelia's outstretched hand. Fred closed the door to the wardrobe as Cordelia wrapped a dressing gown around Lucia. Angel walked in with a cup. Lucia looked nervously at him but made no attempt to move. She took the cup from Angel and began to drink. Cordelia and Fred had to look away. Watching someone drink blood was not a thing they liked. Lucia finished the blood and wiped her mouth and then smiled at Angel.

'Lucia what happened?' Angel asked taking her hand as he knelt down beside her. Cordelia and Fred left.

'Oh Angel, it was horrible. After you left I began to dry myself off and then get dressed. Like you told me to. I sat on the bed and waited. But eventually I got bored. So I went and opened the window. As I looked down upon the street. I saw a man standing in front of the building. He looked up and I recognised him. But I don't know where from. I felt a sharp pain going all through my body and brain. I must have blacked out because when I awoke, I found myself in the wardrobe.' Lucia finished crying onto Angel's arm as he held her close.

'Shh, it's all over now. Everything is going to be alright now. I'm here. I won't let anything hurt you.' Angel said gently stroking her hair. Slowly Lucia began to stop crying and she gave Angel a weak smile.

'Oh Angel, if only I could remember. I wish so much that I could remember. Have you found any possible leads?' She asked Angel. Angel avoided her eager gaze and looked to the floor.

'Some, but I don't think you want to know!' Angel said looking at her sadly.

'Well it can't be worse than not knowing can it?' She smiled at him reassuringly. He smiled back but in his head he was cursing the watcher's council.

'I'll go and get the papers.' Angel said getting up to leave.

'No, don't leave me.' She said grabbing hold of Angel. He smiled and took her hand, leading her down stairs. He took the papers and went back upstairs.

Lucia sat there reading the papers. Then Angel told her exactly what Wesley had told them.

'I'm sorry Lucia.' He said holding her hand at the sight of the tears rolling down her cheek.

'Maybe it's best if I forget. Maybe I could live here with you and become part of Angel's Investigations.' She looked into Angel's eyes. 'We could be happy together. And make new memories.' Lucia said almost pleadingly. Angel shook his head and Lucia turned away from him and went towards the still open window. As she did so her dressing gown fell to the floor. She felt Angel's presence behind her and his arms snaked around her waist.

'As Much as that sounds wonderful Lucia, We have to get your memory back so that we can save the world. Then, if you still want to, we can be together.' Angel said while Lucia turned around still in his arms.

'I'll always want to be with you Angel. Forever.' Lucia said resting her head on his chest. They began to sway slowly to a music that only two lovers could here. Lucia lifted her head and their lips touched. As the kiss deepened their tongues began to dance and Angel carried Lucia over to the bed. He laid her gently on it and continued their kiss. There lips broke apart and Angel began to kiss her neck until he found her most sensitive spot and then he began to suck. Softly first and then harder. Lucia groaned from the pleasure and Angel's penis began to get hard. His hands slipped to the bottom of her nighty and he slowly began to lift it above her head. He threw it onto the floor along with his shirt. And looked lovingly into Lucia's eyes. She returned the loving stare. Angel began to kiss his way down to her hard nipples. He began to make tiny sucking kisses in a spiral up each breast. He kissed his way down to her thong and slid it off. He starred at her hairless wet folds before spreading her legs and licking around her clit. He slipped a finger in and out and then two. He began to work faster and faster. Lucia began to squirm on the bed as she became closer to an orgasm. She started to moan and then all of a sudden there was a flash of lightening in her head momentarily blinding her. A memory floated towards her. A room. Small and brown. A plain bed in the middle. A bold man standing next to a young girl. Her. He holds a wad of papers that had held her life and he begins to burn them. She screams. 'No, Please, No. I'm sorry!' She runs towards them but someone holds her back. Another memory flies at her. A faded picture of a man and woman. Her parents. Smiling at her lovingly. More memory's fly towards her. Tears begin to run down her cheeks.

Angel begins rub her clit knowing that she is close to orgasm. As she screams Angel's name the bright lightening flashes again, fizzles and then fades. Her memory completely returned. She lies there and lets the tears flow freely. Angel notices she is crying and moves so that he is lying beside her.

'Lucia, what's wrong?' He asks gently

'I remember.' She says simply before falling unconscious.


	4. Love, Tears & Hatred

Chapter Four-Love, Tears & Hatred.

**Darkness, what was the use of eyes if all you could see was darkness.**

As she looked around her and her eyes became adjusted to the dark she began to recognise her surroundings. She felt someone move next to her. She looked down and smiled. Angel was cuddled up next to her, his arms around her. Drawing her closer. She tried not to think of what had happened only hours before. Instead she cuddled into Angel, closed her eyes and fell into an uneasy sleep.

She looked at the sleeping form beside her, sighed and got out of bed. Putting on her nighty and dressing gown she paused at the door and looked back at Angel before walking away. She walked silently down stairs. Sorting out memory's into the order they came in. Gasping at the truth and the fate of the world. She reached the kitchen and grabbed a packet of blood. Putting it into a cup she walked over to the microwave. The microwave beeped and she took her hot cup of blood to the table and sat down. Lucia downed the blood and then stood there starring at the cup. She felt the tears begin to form and fall down her cheek. But still she starred at the cup stained with blood. Her life had ended. Her hopes for the future had been brutally slashed and now she was back were she begun. She had to save the world. But the only way she could do that was to end her new life. She let the tears fall freely. Lucia sobbed her heart out and cried until she could cry no more. Then she got up and went to the drier. Opening it she found her clothes. She crept quietly upstairs for her thong and got dressed in the bathroom. Then she crept down stairs and snuck into Angel's office. She left the door open and went to his desk. She sat down in his chair. The chair he had first given her hope in. She was so eager to find her memory and now..... She blinked back the tears and opened one of Angel's drawers. She searched around in it. Carefully replacing everything were she had found it. She closed the drawer and searched the next one. 'Were is it?' She cursed under her breath.

'Looking for this?' Said a voice from behind her. She whirled round to find Angel standing there in only a pair of silk red boxers. He was holding the one thing she wanted most in the world. Her Key.

'Angel please, don't make this any harder than it is. I have to go. Just give me the key so that I can leave' she pleaded.

'Go were Lucia, you've got no where to go. No one who loves you more than I do...'

'That's not true!' Lucia nearly screamed interrupting Angel. 'I have the Watcher's Council....' Lucia left the sentence unfinished.

'Do you really think they love you Lucia. Do you think they love you more than I do? After all they have done to you. You still want to defend them.' Angel said softly looking into her eyes.

'You...You don't understand....it's.....it's just.....'Lucia trailed off.

'Make me understand Lucia. Tell me how leaving the one person who truly ever loved you can help. Tell me how going back to the people who kept you locked in a room, and swapped your childhood for a medical test subject can help. They treated you like a lab rat and you want to go back to them.....'

'Stop it Angel, Stop it before.....' Again she left the sentence unfinished.

'Stop what Lucia, telling you the truth. Why, so you can go on lying to yourself. Before what Lucia....Huh...before what....'

'Before I tell YOU the truth. That's what. Do you know what I found Angel? Do you know why the world is going to end? It's going to end because of me. I am going to freely give myself to Wolfram and Heart. So that they can go through with the ceremony and those basterds at the Watcher's Council can burn in hell. When I left Buffy's it was to kill myself. I knew I could trust her to destroy the key. If only she had listened. None of this would have happened. Obviously I was wrong. Oh Angel don't you see. We can't be together. Ever. It's either live a life without you and go back to the Watcher's Council or die at the hands of Wolfram and Heart. Don't you see, it's the way it has to be? There is nothing I can do about it. And I'd rather die than go back there. You don't have to worry about the world. You can kill who ever leads the ceremony and the portal will be closed. Angel I have to go. I don't want to hurt you, but if you don't give me the key....I will be forced to.' She said not meeting Angel's eyes.

'Well, I'm not going to let you go and throw your life away. Throw me and our love away. Even if I have to swallow this key. You are staying here.' Angel said getting ready to swallow the key. Lucia saw she wasn't going to win this one and so she sat down and cried freely into her hands. Angel knelt beside her and put the key on the table. He took her in a hug.

'It'll be alright Lucia. We'll get through this. You and I can put an end to this and I'll make sure you never have to go back to the Watcher's Council and I won't ever let anyone hurt you.' Angel said stroking her hair.

'Angel I can't take that chance. I don't want you to get mixed up in this. You could get hurt or......You wont be around twenty four seven. You can't protect me forever. I'm sorry.' Lucia said fresh tears forming.

'Lucia you are already hurting me. If you leave it will kill me. Don't go. I can't live with out you.' As Angel spoke Lucia got up.

'I'm sorry Angel.' She said and walked out of the door. Not once looking back. Angel sat on the chair and began to cry. Well at least now he knew how Buffy felt each time he left her. He glanced at the table and the key was gone.

Outside Lucia held the key up to the sun and then quickly put it in her pocket. She hoped Angel would forgive her. But this was her only choice as far as she could see.

She began to walk, her head down as the tears began again. She bumped into someone and looked up.

'Oh, I'm sor....You. You're the cause of all of this. I hate you. Get away from me.' Lucia said pushing the guy out the way and continuing to walk away. The guy followed her.

'Now now child. Don't be too hasty. I am the only one who can save you.' He said

'Oh yeah. And what if I don't want to be saved?' She said practically screaming.

'You love him don't you?' He said. It was the one question she wasn't expecting and she stopped in her tracks and began to cry. He took her in his arms and led her into a small deserted cafe.

'You allowed yourself to get emotionally attached. That was your first mistake. Now the only way to undo that is to kill yourself.' Said the man.

'What?' Lucia said stirred from her thoughts. They had sat in the cafe in silence for nearly half an hour now.

'That is what you are thinking isn't it? That is why you want to go through with this. Before it was just because you couldn't live with who you were or with what they had done to you. Now you curse yourself and deny yourself the one thing you deserve and all because you failed rule one of the Watcher's Council rules. Come on Lucia. I thought we had got passed this.' He said.

'Ralph, I'm sorry....' Lucia started but was cut off.

'Lucia, I know you never loved me. I know you didn't use me and for a time you did feel something for me. I tried to free you from their grasp and it worked. At least until they found you again. When I found out what they had done to you I nearly went spare. But I stayed away for your benefit. Maybe I shouldn't have. Maybe it would have been best if we'd never met. I gave you a sense of freedom and ever since then you have wanted to escape. I heard about the 'Secret' case you were working on and I followed you that night they took you. I have been following you ever since making sure you were alright.' He finished looking at her, ashamedly.

'You...You were the guy I saw last night. What did you do to me?' Lucia asked anger beginning to well up again.

'That wasn't me. I was coming to see you when I saw you walk out of the hotel and walk directly into me. What happened last night?' Ralph asked. Lucia filled him in. She started from the beginning including the case she was working on too. Ralph brought some coffee and contemplated all that she had told him.

'Well it seems you are in a bit of a predicament Lucia.' Ralph said looking at her worriedly. 'What are you going to do?' He said not looking at her but looking out the window. Before she could answer he took her hand.

'Lucia I'm so sorry. They made me. They said they would kill everyone I knew....and me. I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me.' Before she could answer she heard footsteps behind her and then all went black.

Her world span around her. Colours faded in and out and flashed in front of her. Voices seem to come from far off and then everything began to focus. She found herself strapped to an operating chair.

'Does this look familiar Lucia?' A bodiless voice asked. Lucia strained to look around her but all she could see was darkness. Then suddenly she heard lights turning on one after the other. As she looked around she saw a circle of hooded figures. Their faces had dark shadows cast upon them making them look eyrie and beyond recognition.

'How about now?' Said the voice again.

Suddenly out of no where a loud, heavy, slow rhythmic drum beat began. On every drumbeat the hooded figures dropped their hoods. She recognised every one of them. Her watcher Nathan, George her best friend, Ralph, Buffy, Sarah her mum, Michael her dad, her principal Mr Hans, The head watcher Peter and Angel! She didn't have time to react for standing in front of her was one more hooded figure, on the last drum beat he slowly put his hood down and she gasped. The person who had been plaguing her dreams. Had everyone she had ever known been in on this? Everyone who had ever meant something in her life. Had they betrayed her? Tears began run down her cheek and as she did so everyone did the same. She stopped crying and laughed at them. Trying to seem not afraid. They laughed back at her, only more creepily touching on the edge of madness, so she stopped. He stepped foreword with a knife.

'Can't I just give you a pint of my blood?' Lucia said trying to hide her fear.

'For the ceremony to be complete you must die. Besides I thought this is what you wanted. Death.' He said still walking towards her. It felt like a year had passed before he finally reached her chair.

'How would you like to die Lucia? Tell us, we all want to know.' There were eager nods from the people around her.

'I don't want to die.' Lucia said surprising herself when she heard her calm fearless voice.

'Well you're going to. Slowly and painfully. We're going to drain every last drop of your blood and while your still alive to watch and feel. And then you'll die and the energy your death releases will open the portal.' He said hissing it into her ear. Lucia began to loose hope. All her careful months of planning had gone to waste.

'This is your destiny Lucia. This is your future. Your roll in life. Your whole life has been based around this moment. You were born for this purpose. This is your purpose on earth and your fate.' As he said these words the speech stirred a memory buried in her head. The head Watcher's Council having a go at her after she had refused a mission. His words were exactly the same. She had given in then when all she really wanted to do was to say no, I've had enough and leave. They were scarred of her. Because she was the strongest person alive. She could kill them with her mind. And they knew it. But she had been ignorant of her powers. She could have left anytime and they couldn't have done a thing. She was unstoppable, unkillable.

'NO!' She screamed. 'I'm not going to give in this time. You can't hurt me.' She said braking free of her bonds. 'She starred at the now terrified man in front of her. He began to bubble and burn and then he exploded. She picked the key up and it vanished with a blink of an eye. She turned on the crowd of supposed friends.

'I trusted you all...' But before she could continue she saw their faces change into hideous monsters. They began to charge at her and she held out her hand. They froze were they were and she waved her hand around as they flew into walls until they died. Still fuming from all the buried anger that was now released she ran through the building setting everything on fire with just a thought. And by the time she reached outside she only had a small amount of anger left. She used it to bring the building down. She stood there and watched it crumble, stood there while the dust began to settle and then, she let the tears take over. Exhausted she collapsed to the ground. But before her small body reached the hard concrete a hand flew out of the night and caught her.


	5. Goodbyes, Promises and Happy Endings

Chapter Five-Goodbyes, Promises and Happy Endings.

Lucia lifted her heavy eyelids. She struggled to remember where she was but couldn't. She remembered the building blowing up. The hatred that had surged through her body and then darkness. But now she was in a room and the light came through the bottom of the curtains. The soft mattress under her comforted her bruises. She heard footsteps outside the door and then it opened. She couldn't believe who stood there. Angel, dressed in black leather pants and a royal blue silk top. All bar the top three buttons done up. He smiled at her and walked in.

'Morning sleepy.' He said sitting on her bed.

'How long have I been sleeping?' She asked struggling to sit up. He pushed her gently back down.

'You slept all day yesterday. We were beginning to think you weren't going to wake up.' Angel said hugging her. She hugged him back and then pushed the blankets back.

'Where do you think your going Missy?' He said pulling the blankets over her.

'Angel,' she whined. 'I need to go to the bathroom.' She said smiling at him.

'Well you go and then you get right back here.' He said watching her go.

'Yes Sir.' She said saluting him.

Angel lay on the bed, hands behind his head. He was so happy. Just having her here. But how was she going to take it. He had seen what she had done to those things and the building. He didn't care. He just lay there smiling. He heard her come out of the bathroom and sat up. She was dressed.

'Where do you think your going?' He said frowning slightly.

'Don't panic, I'm starving. I'm going to get something to eat.' She said taking his arm as he led her down stairs. He took her into the kitchen and on the table were a bunch of presents.

'Whose birthday is it?' She asked.

'Yours' Angel said turning her around and kissing her. She smiled and just stayed there in his arms.

'Angel, I never meant what I said. I want to be with you forever.'

'Shh, I know. Open your presents.' Angel said pushing her towards the table. While she sat down he fixed her a bowl full of cereal and a cup full of hot blood. When she had finished eating Cordelia walked in with Wesley, Gun and Fred.

'Happy Birthday,' they each said hugging her and smiling at her. They sat and stood around her while she opened her presents. Cordelia had given her some make up and a bath set. Fred gave her a stuffed baby mouse that wore a pair of shorts and a bib and a dummy you could take out. Gun had given her a CD of pop music. Now 53. Wesley gave her some books, fantasy and horror. And Angel gave her an angel charm bracelet. Each angel was different. One played the harp, one prayed, one just stood there, one looked sad, one looked happy. Her favourite one was one that held a heart.

'Oh guys, these are wonderful I love them all.' She said hugging them in turn. Just then the bell on the front desk rang. Lucia looked in that direction, while everyone looked knowingly at each other. She used her powers to see through the wall. She looked at everyone smiled and then laughed and skipped like a child, to the front desk.

A man and woman in there late fifty's stood there. They stopped and looked at the girl skipping towards them.

'Lucia?' Whispered the woman almost disbelivingly.

'Mummy, Daddy!' Lucia said running to them and hugging them. They wept with joy and hugged her back.

'Oh Lucia, We've missed you so much. We had passed you up for dead when a couple of days ago this nice gentleman came and told us where you were and that you were looking for us.' Said her dad. Lucia smiled at them and led them into the kitchen.

'Mum, Dad. This is Cordelia, Wesley, Gun, Fred and my boyfriend Angel.' She said pointing to them in turn. 'Everyone this is my Mum Sarah and my Dad Michael.' They were given seats at the table

'You were the nice young gentleman who told us where to find our daughter.' Said Sarah.

'Ay I was. Lucia has been looking for you for a while and I thought it would be a perfect birthday surprise.' Angel said holding Lucia's hand.

'That reminds me.' Said Michael picking up a plastic bag, which he handed to Lucia.

'Oh dad you shouldn't have.' Lucia said lifting out the present that was concealed inside the bag. It was flat and rectangular. Lucia slowly and carefully undid the wrapping paper. When it was finally opened Lucia's face lit up. It was a proper writing set. Dictionary, thesaurus. Guide on writing books and poetry. Paper pens. How to plan a story. Everything ever needed to write a story. She hugged her parents again.

The afternoon was spent talking to her parents and catching up. Lucia didn't tell them what the Watcher's Council had done to her. But they guessed it wasn't pretty. She was sad when they had to leave. Angel had offered them a room to stay in, but they had declined saying they had to get home. Lucia promised that she would come and visit as soon as possible. That night she slept peacefully in Angel's arms. She didn't have a single nightmare. But she dreamed of her future with Angel. She decided that she would use her parent's gift to write her story. And hear you are reading it.


	6. Epilogue

Epilogue.

That very next day. I went back to the Watcher's Council. They were surprised to see me as I barged into a meeting. They were all there, even Nathan. Peter greeted me with the simple line. 'I knew you'd return. You can't survive on your own. You're too weak.' He made to slap me and I grabbed his arm. 'You're wrong!' I said and they all turned and watched me. 'I can survive on my own. I am stronger than you can imagine. I can think something and it will happen. And I've come back for revenge. You are the weak ones. You put me through hell. Now I am going to do the same to you.' I squashed his hand and let go disgusted. His hand squashed as if it had been paper and now they were all shaking in their boots.

'You thought you were better than me. Thought you could play God and be able to keep your creation under control. But you were scared. I was stronger than you had thought. Than you had ever dreamed of. And so you decided that you would beat all hope out of me. That you could take away my will so that I would do anything you commanded. Well your plan backfired. It just made me angrier.' I said circling them.

'Lucia, Please. Think rationally here.'

'Shut up Nathan. I am thinking rationally. What was it you taught me? Two wrongs don't make a right. No they don't.' They all breathed a sigh of relief. 'But revenge brings happiness and an end to the anger and pain and suffering you caused me.' They began to start to panic now. Nathan began to beg for his life. I picked him up and gently tossed him back in his chair were he fainted. Peter had fainted from the pain of his hand. 'Now listen here right. If I ever hear about you, smell you, see you or anything all of you will die. I will burn you alive and make you explode on the spot.' None of them doubted her word. 'You put my life through hell and as I said I'll do the same to you. When you least expect it I'll hit you were it hurts. If you run I'll carry out my revenge on your children as well as you. Just for the trouble you caused me. Got it.' They nodded 'All those years I stored up my anger until it drove me over the edge. Now my sanity is hanging on by loose threads. I'm unhinged. I could go berserk any second and then I'll be coming after you.' I finished starring them each in the eye until they had to turn away. I blinked at the table and it set on fire. Then I leaped from the window and they looked out and saw me flying away. They had no idea the threat was empty. At least it was unless they pushed me. I smiled as the wind blew my hair and I flew home to eternal happiness.

You beat me down,

Time after time,

You tried to make me scarred,

When it was you, who was terrified,

You'd made my life hell,

And tortured my soul,

Now I'm back and I'm angry,

You, who once said,

Two wrongs don't make a right,

You who once took away my life,

You who destroyed my world,

Why should I let you live,

When I had to suffer,

Why should I be nice to you?,

When I had to pay,

You took me away,

From happiness and love,

Replaced it with hatred and fear,

I'll show you mercy and I'll tell you why,

I'll be nice,

It'll make you feel worse,

I'll keep you alive,

You'll have to live with yourself,

Revenge can be sweet,

But Love always wins!

For all those who think you can win by hatred.

For all those who think being mean is to be strong.

For all those who go out of their way to be horrid.

For all those who has a laugh at another's expense.

Love conquers all and is the strongest thing.

If you show love then it is you who are truly strong!

Disclaimer

I don't take any credit for the major stars characters in this story (EG Buffy, Angel Cordelia etc) or some of the locations (EG Angel Investigation Headquarters) But Lucia is all my own as well as the plot so that's copywrited to me.

Review please, helpful comments appreciated J


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